Sight-mounting bars for pistols

ABSTRACT

A sight-mounting bar is provided for quick detachment or attachment on pistols of historical design such as the Remington 1858 cap and ball revolver or the 1851 Colt Navy revolver, comprising a rigid metal bar that is pressed down against the upper surfaces of the gun barrel and frame to engage a spring clip carried at the forward end of the bar with the barrel sides, and to rest the underside of the bar upon the gun frame, clamp means being secured to engage clamp flanges under edges of a bridge member or frame strap overlying the cylinder, or alternatively to engage clamp faces against side surfaces of the gun frame utilising a modified pivot screw passing transversely through the gun frame. The support arrangement prevents lateral shift and longitudinal or lateral pivoting of the bar.

[ NOV. 18, 1975 SIGHT-MOUNTING BARS FOR PISTOLS [76] Inventor: Harry P.Chaba, 520 Moraine Road NE, Calgary, Alberta, Canada, T2A 2P2 [22]Filed: June 17, 1974 [21] Appl. No.: 480,154

Primary Examiner-Richard E. Aegerter Assistant Examiner-Steven L.Stephan Attorney, Agent, or Firm-Roman J. Filipkowski [57] ABSTRACT Asight-mounting bar is provided for quick detachment or attachment onpistols of historical design such as the Remington 1858 cap and ballrevolver or the 1851 Colt Navy revolver, comprising a rigid metal barthat is pressed down against the upper surfaces of the gun barrel andframe to engage a spring clip carried at the forward end of the bar withthe barrel sides, and to rest the underside of the bar upon the gunframe, clamp means being secured to engage clamp flanges under edges ofa bridge member or frame strap overlying the cylinder, or alternativelyto engage clamp faces against side surfaces of the gun frame utilising amodified pivot screw passing transversely through the gun frame. Thesupport arrangement prevents lateral shift and longitudinal or lateralpivoting of the bar.

9 Claims, 7 Drawing Figures US. Patent Nov. 18, 1975 hm "lllllllllllm'nupzumil SIGHT-MOUNTING BARS FOR PISTOLS This invention relates to amounting bar for gun sights for revolvers and pistols, and is directedparticularly to sight-mounting bar devices which may be readily attachedto and detached from pistols of the nineteenth century and theirreplicas, such as the 1858 Remington and the 1851 Colt Navy muzzleloading revolvers.

A principal object of the present invention is to provide improvedsights for increasing the potential accuracy of antique hand gun designswhich were fitted with only rudimentary non-adjustable front and rearsights such as a bead or web fore sight carried at the muzzle end and anotch cut in the hammer of the gun as rear sighting element.

The mounting bar device of the present invention permits such earlyforms of pistols and revolvers to be readily equipped with target-gradesighting facilities permitting their use for accurate target shooting,whether with black-powder or modern smokeless powder propellants. Thesight-mounting bar is a rigid, light bar of metal having integrallyaffixed on the forward upper surface any suitable front sight 'such as aprojecting blade or web and shaped on its rearward upper surface portionfor mounting any conventional micrometer-adjustable notched rear sight,the bar being provided with a quick-detachable spring clip forfrictionally engaging the sides of the forward end of the gun barrel andwith a pair of lugs or brackets depending from a rearward portion of themounting bar including means to clampedly engage gun frame surfaces toprevent rocking or twisting.

The construction of the sight-mounting bar utilises an upper surface ofthe gun frame as a limit stop to prevent pivoting movement of the barabout either a longitudinal axis or about a transverse axis. Where thegun frame includes a bridge member overlying the cylinder of a revolverthe under surface of the bar is disposed to rest conformably inoverlying contacting relation with the bridge member. Clamp-formingelements integral with or secured releasably to the bar in dependingrelation are adapted to closely engage the sides of the gun frame-toprevent lateral sliding or twisting movement out of a referencealignment position determined by such upper frame surface and theengagement of the forward spring clamp with the barrel.

It is a further object of the invention to provide a sight-carrying bardevice which may be quickly mounted upon a hand gun having an existingfore sight without need of alteration or any marking of the weaponsurfaces, by simply pressing the bar device downwardly upon the uppersurface of the gun barrel and frame, and securing clamp elements as bypinning with an existing pivot screw transversely aligned in the gunframe or by turning auxiliary clamp screws into the bar sides toclampedly grip the sides of the gun frame.

The foregoing and other features of the invention will be more fullyunderstood from a reading of the description of specific embodiments inconjunction with the accompanying figures of drawing, wherein,

FIG. 1 is a side elevational view of a revolver having thesight-mounting bar of the present invention taken on the. line 33 ofFIG-2;. 1

FIG.- 4 is a vertical transverse sectional view similar to FIG. 3showing only the bar device having one bracket integrally formed withthe bar;

FIG: 5 isa side elevational view of an alternative sight-mounting barsecured on the frame of another pistol;

FIGt-6 is a partial sectional view of the bar of FIG. 5 taken on theline 6-6 thereof; and

FIG. 7 is a cross-sectional view similar to FIG. 6 showing only the bardevice having one bracket integral therewith.

Referring to the drawing, the sight-mounting bar 11 carries on itsforward end an upwardly-projecting foresight l2.such as a blade or web,and on its rearward upper surface is provided with a recess or groove 13adapted to receive a conventional adjustable rear sight 14 secured inany convenient manner. The bar carries just behind the fore sight 12 aspring clip 15 affixed as by a screw 16, the clip having a pair ofopposed depending leg portions 17 frictionally engaging the sides of gunbarrel l8 and applying a spring force thereagainst.

In FIG. 1 there is illustrated one of the many antique pistols of thenineteenth century upon which the mounting bar 11 may be separablysecured in alignment with the gun barrel, the particular weapon hereinshown being the I858 Remington cap and ball revolver. Such pistol servesto illustrate preferred means for attaching the sight-mounting bar upona pistol which has a gun frame that includes a bridge element or strap19 overlying cylinder 20, there being a gap or clearance space 21between the bridge element and the cylinder. As will be seen byreference additionally to FIGS. 2 and 3, the undersurface 22 of the bardevice 1 l rests in contact with the upper surface of the gun frame, andthe bar is secured thereto by means of a pair of clamp leg elements 23having intumed lower flange portions 24 entering into gap 21. The flangeportions are so shaped as to closely engage the lower surface of thebridge element or equivalent longitudinal strap structure of the uppergun frame.

The upper marginal portions of the clamp leg elements 23 are affixed asby machine screws 25 passing through apertures 25A and being threadedlyengaged in bores 26 in the side surfaces 27 of the bar. As may be seenbest in FIG. 3 the bar width is substantially identical with the widthof the bridge element, or preferably is made very slightly less so thatthe clamp leg elements 23 will exert pressure against the sides of thebridge element when screws 25 are fully turned in, to seat their headsfirmly. The clamp leg elements are preferably made of light guage steelsheet to provide relatively stiff yet resilient clamping structure forpreventing lateral shift of the bar on the frame.

Although the flanges 24 are shown as being bent at an angle less than aright angle, i.e., from about 45 to about 60 inclination from thevertical to provide sloping surfaces engaging edges of the bridgeelement, tending thereby to urge the bar against the gun frame, the barmay alternatively be urged into contact with the frame when the flangesare bent at a right-angle or very nearly a right-angle. As may be seenin FIG. 4, the flanges 24 are bent along lines such that a very slightinterference is set up with the undersurface of the bridge element orstrap, causing a small deflection of each flange acting as a cantileverbeam. One clamp element which may be the leg on either side of the gunis permanently affixed integrally with the bar as by silver 3 solderingor welding to facilitate mounting and disassembly.

For pistols constructed without any bridge element over the cylinder,but having a flat-sided gun frame 28 such as the 1851 Colt Navy pistolillustrated in FIG. 5, clamp leg elements 123 are provided which engagethe side surfaces 27 of the bar 11 forwardly of the cylinder, and whichare secured against the sides of the gun frame and against the sides 27of the bar, by means of the single screw fastener 29 which forms part ofthe weapon itself. In this design of hand gun the loading lever 30pivots about the loading lever screw 29 passed through the transversealigned bores 31 in the gun frame. As will be evident in FIG. 6, areplacement screw 29 is formed as two mating parts 29A and 298, thelarger diameter screw being made longer than the original and having amajor length portion of the shank unthreaded and of a diameter to enterwith a close but free-sliding fit relation into the frame bores 31. Thescrew 29A is also coaxially bored and the bore threaded to receive thecompanion screw 29B. The clamp structure is assembled by placing theclamp leg elements 123 on either side of the gun frame with the flanges124 entered into the longitudinal slots 32 formed along opposite sidesurfaces 27 of bar 11, and screws 29A and 29B are passed throughrespective bores 31A and 31B of the clamp legs and through the bores 31of the gun frame, then tightened to secure the clamp leg elementsagainst the side surfaces of the gun frame.

In the embodiment of FIG. 6 the sight-mounting bar 11 rests in contactwith the upper surface of the gun barrel under a holding force exertedby the flanges 124 which are slightly deflected as short cantileverbeams by reason of a small but significant interference with the barslots 32 due to the positioning of bores 31A and 31B. As the relativepositions of the flanges 124 are determined from the shank surface ofscrew 29A received in the gun frame bores 31, it will be evident thatlongitudinal rocking and transverse pivoting of the bar upon the gunbarrel are prevented. Lateral shift of the bar is also prevented orminimised to insignificant amount by the provision of relatively stiffbut resilient clamp legs acting as limit stops. It has been found thatwhen the clamp leg elements are formed of steel sheet of about 0.037inch thickness the position of the bar is effectively stabilised.

The lateral stabilisation of bar 11 may be further enhanced by theconstruction shown in FIG. 7 wherein both the clamp legs 223 areunflanged sheet members, and one is permanently affixed as by silversoldering to the side surfaces 27 of the bar while the other clamp legis removably secured to the opposite side surface by machine screws 25passed through bores 33 in the upper marginal edge portion and enteringthreaded bores 26 in the bar side surfaces.

While the embodiment of FIGS. 5, 6 and 7 provides lateral stabilizationof the sighting bar by reference to a side surface of the gun frame, amounting arrangement similar to that of FIG. 7 but not shown comprisesrigidly affixed upper marginal portions of both clamp leg members 223,the mounting being arranged so that the inner opposed surfaces of theclamp legs are parallel and spaced to closely engage the gun frame byspringing very slightly outwardly as the clamp legs are pressed down toseat the bar. In such mounting, the pivot bolt passed through both clamplegs and the gun frame restrains the bar from rocking or shifting as inFIG. 7.

I claim:

1. A sight-mounting attachment for a pistol having a barrel and a gunframe structure assembled with said barrel comprising an elongate barhaving a length greater than the length of said barrel and contoured tobe assembled in longitudinally aligned overlying contacting relationupon upper surfaces of said gun barrel and gun frame, said bar carryingspring clip means dependingly supported by the forward end of said barfor frictionally engaging a forward part of the gun barrel, and having arearward portion of rectangular section carrying a pair of spaced clampleg means each of the pair of spaced clamp leg means disposed onopposite sides of and depending from the side surfaces of saidrectangular-section portion of said bar in the same direction as saidspring clip means, said bar and clamp leg means being formed to causesaid clamp leg means to releasably clampedly engage with side surfacesof said gun frame and simultaneously to urge the underside of said baragainst an upper surface of said gun frame.

2. A sight-mounting attachment as set forth in claim 1 wherein said gunframe includes a bridge member overlying and spaced from a cylinder forthe pistol, said clamp leg means being adapted to be removably securedagainst side surfaces of said rectangular end portion to provide limitstops closely confining said gun frame to restrict lateral bardisplacement and including inturned flange portions formed along ends ofsaid leg means remote from said bar and adapted to grippingly engagelongitudinal lower edge portions of the bridge member of said gun frame.

3. A sight-carrying attachment as set forth in claim 2 wherein saidflange portions extend relative to the remainder of said leg means atand the depending length of each leg means is such as to deflect saidflanges downwardly as cantilever beams engaging said bridge member whensaid clamp leg means are secured to said bar.

4. A sight-carrying attachment as set forth in claim 2 wherein saidflange portions extend with inclinations of about 45 to about 60 withrespect to the remainder of said leg means, the leg means being formedso that the inclined surfaces of said flange portions resilientlygrippingly engage said lower edge portions of said bridge member toapply a force component urging said bar against the upper surface of thegun frame.

5. A sight-carrying attachment as set forth in claim 4 wherein one clampleg means is permanently affixed integral with one side surface of saidrectangular portion.

6. A sight-carrying attachment as set forth in claim 1 wherein the sidesurfaces of said rectangular end portion are formed with longitudinalslots and said clamp leg means have upper longitudinal flanges inturnedand received in said slots, said leg means also including opposedapertures in respective leg means spaced from said upper flanges, and apivot bolt passing transversely through and extending beyond sidesurfaces of the gun frame adapted to engage respective apertures of theleg means.

7. A sight-carrying attachment as set forth in claim 1 wherein saidclamp leg means are substantially flat sheet metal resilient bodieshaving upper margins adapted to be secured against side surfaces of saidrectangular section bar end portion and opposed apertures formed inrespective leg, means in spaced relationship to the upper marginsthereof and a pivot bolt is provided passing transversely through andextending beyond side surfaces of the gun frame adapted to engagerespective apertures of the leg means.

8. A sight-carrying attachment as set forth in claim 7 wherein one ofsaid clamp leg means has its upper margin permanently affixed integralwith one side surface 5 mounted on said bar adjacent the end thereofadapted to overlie said gun barrel and a rear sight means mounted onsaid bar adjacent the end thereof adapted to overlie said gun frame,said spring clip means including a pair of spaced, opposed spring clampmembers depending from the forward end of said bar to engage oppositeside surfaces of said barrel.

1. A sight-mounting attachment for a pistol having a barrel and a gunframe structure assembled with said barrel comprising an elongate barhaving a length greater than the length of said barrel and contoured tobe assembled in longitudinally aligned overlying contacting relationupon upper surfaces of sAid gun barrel and gun frame, said bar carryingspring clip means dependingly supported by the forward end of said barfor frictionally engaging a forward part of the gun barrel, and having arearward portion of rectangular section carrying a pair of spaced clampleg means each of the pair of spaced clamp leg means disposed onopposite sides of and depending from the side surfaces of saidrectangular-section portion of said bar in the same direction as saidspring clip means, said bar and clamp leg means being formed to causesaid clamp leg means to releasably clampedly engage with side surfacesof said gun frame and simultaneously to urge the underside of said baragainst an upper surface of said gun frame.
 2. A sight-mountingattachment as set forth in claim 1 wherein said gun frame includes abridge member overlying and spaced from a cylinder for the pistol, saidclamp leg means being adapted to be removably secured against sidesurfaces of said rectangular end portion to provide limit stops closelyconfining said gun frame to restrict lateral bar displacement andincluding inturned flange portions formed along ends of said leg meansremote from said bar and adapted to grippingly engage longitudinal loweredge portions of the bridge member of said gun frame.
 3. Asight-carrying attachment as set forth in claim 2 wherein said flangeportions extend relative to the remainder of said leg means at 90* andthe depending length of each leg means is such as to deflect saidflanges downwardly as cantilever beams engaging said bridge member whensaid clamp leg means are secured to said bar.
 4. A sight-carryingattachment as set forth in claim 2 wherein said flange portions extendwith inclinations of about 45* to about 60* with respect to theremainder of said leg means, the leg means being formed so that theinclined surfaces of said flange portions resiliently grippingly engagesaid lower edge portions of said bridge member to apply a forcecomponent urging said bar against the upper surface of the gun frame. 5.A sight-carrying attachment as set forth in claim 4 wherein one clampleg means is permanently affixed integral with one side surface of saidrectangular portion.
 6. A sight-carrying attachment as set forth inclaim 1 wherein the side surfaces of said rectangular end portion areformed with longitudinal slots and said clamp leg means have upperlongitudinal flanges inturned and received in said slots, said leg meansalso including opposed apertures in respective leg means spaced fromsaid upper flanges, and a pivot bolt passing transversely through andextending beyond side surfaces of the gun frame adapted to engagerespective apertures of the leg means.
 7. A sight-carrying attachment asset forth in claim 1 wherein said clamp leg means are substantially flatsheet metal resilient bodies having upper margins adapted to be securedagainst side surfaces of said rectangular section bar end portion andopposed apertures formed in respective leg, means in spaced relationshipto the upper margins thereof and a pivot bolt is provided passingtransversely through and extending beyond side surfaces of the gun frameadapted to engage respective apertures of the leg means.
 8. Asight-carrying attachment as set forth in claim 7 wherein one of saidclamp leg means has its upper margin permanently affixed integral withone side surface of said rectangular section bar end portion.
 9. Asight-carrying attachment as set forth in claim 1 which includes anupwardly-projecting foresight mounted on said bar adjacent the endthereof adapted to overlie said gun barrel and a rear sight meansmounted on said bar adjacent the end thereof adapted to overlie said gunframe, said spring clip means including a pair of spaced, opposed springclamp members depending from the forward end of said bar to engageopposite side surfaces of said barrel.